Tigers hold off fast-finishing Dragons to secure drought-breaking win

The Wests Tigers have snapped a 14-match NRLW losing streak, defeating the Dragons 16-14 in wet and windy conditions at Leichhardt Oval on Thursday night.

The Tigers had not won a game since round two last season, almost 14 months ago, but a first-half double to winger Rebecca Pollard set up the thrilling victory.

Dragons centre Maatuleio Fotu-Moala also nabbed a second-half double as the Red V mounted a fightback but a missed conversion with one minute left on the clock sealed the result for the Tigers.

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So bad were the conditions for kicking that Tigers five-eighth Pauline Piliae-Rasabale called up teammate Najvada George to help with an early conversion attempt.

"You don't see it too often but a finger is on the ball from a teammate," Brenton Speed said in commentary for Nine.

The ball ultimately sailed wide of the posts.

The wind benefitted the Tigers in the first half, powering their ability to move the Steeden down the northern end.

The Tigers struck first in the sixth minute — sending the ball right before Pollard linked up with Botille Vette-Welsh to score the opening try.

The hosts then looked to go back-to-back as Evie McGrath got a hand on the ball in the in-goal. However, the five-eighth failed to maintain control as Tyla King came in, causing a knock-on.

The Tigers broke through for a second try, catching the Dragons outnumbered for Leianne Tufuga to go over. Pollard then followed suit with her second and her team's third in a row.

At the main break, the Tigers led 14-nil as a groundbreaking win seemed possible.

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With the breeze at their backs for the second half, the Dragons tried to turn the encounter around.

The Red V got on the board through Fotu-Moala in the 42nd minute after Pollard fumbled a cross-field kick on the line.

Only five minutes later, the Dragons were in again through Madison Mulhall as the Tigers' advantage was slash to just four points.

But the Tigers' Piliae-Rasabale restored some breathing room with a penalty conversion after Dragons prop Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa was penalised and placed on report.

Fotu-Moala crossed for the Dragons' last try in the final minutes but Raecene McGregor couldn't nail the conversion to even the scores.

Adding to the Saints' troubles, winger Alice Gregory suffered an AC joint injury after landing awkwardly on her shoulder in a tackle. She went straight down to the rooms and did not return.

Tigers halfback Brooke Talataina also limped off after rolling her ankle while debutant Claudia Brown suffered a nasty facial injury after copping a stray elbow from Teagan Berry.

Brown's eye immediately swelled over as Nine commentator Andrew Johns forecasted a broken eye socket.